1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a calculus crushing apparatus and a medical procedure using an endoscope.
2. Description of the Related Art
In order to remove a swelling calculus inside a bile duct in a stone crushing and collecting treatment, basket forceps may be inserted into the bile duct so as to catch the calculus using a deployed basket, and to physically cut the calculus by pushing basket wires onto the calculus. These basket wires are relatively thick so as to cut a hard stone.
If the calculus obtained by one cutting operation is too large to be extracted through a duodenal papilla, a similar operation by deploying the basket is repeated. When the cut calculus obtains a size at which it can be extracted through the papilla, the calculus is caught inside the basket and scraped out toward the duodenum, or is scraped out using a specialized basket or balloon specifically used for stone collection.